An excuse for good-looking guys (and one good-looking gal) to play cowboy.
American Outlaws (2001)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:100
Fresh:13
Rotten:87
Average Rating:3.6/10
Consensus: With corny dialogue, revisionist history, anachronistic music, and a generically attractive cast, American Outlaws is a sanitized, teenybopper version of Jesse James.
Runtime: 1 hr 34 mins
Genre: Westerns
Synopsis: Director Les Mayfield (BLUE STREAK) attempts to revamp the Western genre with yet another telling of the Jesse James story. This time around, James (Colin Farrell), older brother Frank (Gabriel... Director Les Mayfield (BLUE STREAK) attempts to revamp the Western genre with yet another telling of the Jesse James story. This time around, James (Colin Farrell), older brother Frank (Gabriel Macht), and companion Cole Younger (Scott Caan) have returned from the frontlines of the Civil War. Their peaceful Missouri existence is crudely shattered by the arrival of Thaddeus Rains (Harris Yulin), a railroad tycoon who demands that they give up their land for the railroad's benefit. When the boys refuse to cooperate, Rains turns Allan Pinkerton (Timothy Dalton) on them, resulting in a family tragedy that sparks a rebellion. It isn't long before Jessie, Frank, and Cole are off and running, robbing banks throughout the state in order to cut off the railroad's funding, and using their stolen money to feed the poor. In the meantime, Jessie remains intimate with his one true love, Zee Mimms (Ali Larter), hoping for an end to the madness that surrounds him. Mayfield's film balances comedy and action in equal measure, making for a lighthearted affair, even as the bodies continue to pile. Hollywood newcomer Farrell slips into the role--and accent--of the misunderstood legend with ease, delivering another highly engaging performance. [More]
Starring: Colin Farrell, Scott Caan, Ali Larter, Gabriel Macht
Starring: Colin Farrell, Scott Caan, Ali Larter, Gabriel Macht, Timothy Dalton, Will McCormack, Kathy Bates, Harris Yulin
Director: Les Mayfield
Director: Les Mayfield
Screenwriter: John W. Rogers, Roderick Taylor
Producer: James G. Robinson, Bill Gerber
Composer: Trevor Rabin
Studio: Warner Bros.
Reviews for American Outlaws
Jesse is supposed to be the charismatic one, but Farrell doesn't really lead the cast.
Provides a strong argument for the been-there, done-that Western genre to again sink back into obscurity.
Its true focus is Farrell's perfectly tousled hair, hair never disturbed by a cowboy hat while no other man onscreen removes his.
It takes a special kind of stinker to turn an up-and-comer with the wily presence of a young Steve McQueen into a tousle-haired action figure.
[Mayfield's] incompetent direction leaves the actors floundering, trying to find the point of these aimless, wayward scenes.
The filmmakers have created a dull, one-dimensional pop icon out of James' complex character and legend.
Guns down credible acting, believable dialogue and historical accuracy.
Set in a parallel dimension wild west in which cowboys have full unfettered access to modern-day gymnasiums, hair care products and state-of-the-art dentistry.
I suppose the way to watch this film, if you feel compelled to watch it by some masochistic tendency you are powerless to control, is to regard it as a comedy.
Suffers from a poorly written and executed script as well as horrific dialogue and direction.
I'd rather suck the poison out of a rattlesnake fang than submit anyone to this drawn-out drawl fest.
I'd recommend that you check it out on video where you might just enjoy it for the fluffy western that it is.
Along the way, the boys squabble over who's the cutest of the gang, who's the most popular cowboy in the gang, and who ought to go on MTV's Total Request Live.
Starring a bunch of relatively indistinguishable young male leads and one token female, it is a formulaic film carefully designed to appeal to just the right demographics.
It's the same movie you've seen again and again, but with a younger cast with which to extract money from a new generation.
Latest News for American Outlaws
June 05, 2001:
Another example of the 'old story, young cast' formula that has been more and more common in recent years. ![]()
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June 05, 2001:
Working in the studio's favor is the casting of Farrell -- who went from zero to must have hot young thing in 2.7 seconds after starring in last year's Vietnam era drama Tigerland. ![]()
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June 05, 2001:
Red-hot Irishman Farrell stars as the young Jesse James, who leads his pretty-boy posse against a scheming railroad baron. ![]()
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